1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a syringe having a self-contained, pre-sterilized, medication impregnated swab by which to apply medication to a targeted tissue area of a patent prior to the administration of an injection at the target site.
2. Prior Art
It is a universally accepted procedure among health care workers to apply a local anesthetic and/or an antiseptic to a tissue area of a patent just prior to the administration of an injection. The medication is typically applied by means of a (usually sterile) cotton swab which must first be adequately saturated. However, because the cotton swab is handled by a health care worker, the possibility exists that the sterile condition thereof may be jeopardized. Moreover, the cotton swab may not be sterilized in the first place. Therefore, the swab may harbor potentially infectious bacteria.
What is more, the swab be properly discarded after the patient's tissue area has been treated with medication. Failure to safely and carefully dispose of such swabs could lead to a contamination of the health care facility, and, in some cases, the spread of a life threatening disease. Consequently, the inconvenience associated with adequately saturating, properly using, and safely disposing the cotton swab, as well as the difficulty in maintaining or establishing the sterility thereof during handling, makes the conventional swab, in many cases, undesirable for use in health care facilities, particularly where maintaining a maximum sterile environment is of primary importance.